
Thursday
October 7
CHEERFUL GIVERS (Ezra 2:68-70).
Ezra lists the returning Israelites by family, city, or office,
but he is silent on character and motive. What kinds of
people were likely to come on this journey and why?
If a Jewish captive were 20 years of age in 605, 597, or 586
B.C. (the dates of the three major deportations), he or she
would be 88, 80, and 69, respectively, in 537 B.C., the year of
release. It is not likely that many of the elderly from the first
deportation would be physically able to make the return trip.
Some of the older persons from the third deportation might
have returned. Those persons who were strongly religious
(young or old) and/or nationalist in spirit would return. The
priests, Levites, and temple servants were naturally attracted,
since the new temple would allow them to work at their
ancestral careers. Finally, the poor—who had nothing to lose—
were also likely attracted.
Before separating to their respective ancestral towns, this
diverse group assembled at the ruins of Solomon's temple
(Ezra 2:68, 70). In their joy upon a safe arrival, what did
they do? Ezra 2:68, 69.
While this large sum of gold, silver, and priestly garments
was a freewill offering, it probably reflects some of the gifts
given by the Jews and their friends in Babylon and elsewhere.
Cyrus' grant to finance the construction of the temple created
a generous spirit in these patriots.
Furthermore, while suffering the reproach of captivity, it
appears that the Israelites took Jeremiah's counsel to heart to
settle into the land of their sojourn (Jer. 29:4-7). Excavations at
Nippur, the area of Ezekiel's home during the exile, have
uncovered the archives of a large banking firm, "Murashu
Sons." Thousands of tablets contain more than one hundred
Jewish names, indicating that some Israelites became a wealthy,
influential minority in Persia. Their success is reflected in the
grand freewill offering they gave for the new temple in Jerusalem.
Why would God prefer that we give little with a cheerful
heart than much with complaining? (Compare 2 Cor.
9:6, 7.)
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